Spring fabric



Patented Nov. 5, 1929 mam HORACE s. nHoAns, or PHILADELP IA, rnnnsrnvanra SPRING FABRIC Application filed November 8,1827, Serial No. 231,800.

tance between the strands of adjacent links 1 being increased so as to lmprove both the appearance and the carrying capacity of the fabric.

In accordance with my invention, the fabric is formed by bending a strand of wire of suitable weight and stiffness into a course or tier of links each comprising substantially parallel legs or shanks divergently crimped or offset at one end and connected by a cross-piece of greater length than the 23 distance between the bodies of the shanks.

The links of each course are connected witn one another at the ends opposite their cross members by loops having a diameter substantially equal to the offset resulting from the crimping of the opposite ends of the adjacent link strands. The wire is bent so that the cross-pieces of the links and the loops are slightly above the general level of the fabric. The loops of one course of links are laced or looped around the crimpcd ends of adjacent links of the succeeding course which are drawn together thereby adjacent to the cross-bars. The greater portion of the lengths of the shanks are spaced in parallel relation.

The characteristic features and advantages of my improvements will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings in illustration of a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a bed spring made in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the fabric shown in Fig.

1; and Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view on the line 38 of Fig. 2. I

i As illustrated in the drawings, my improved fabric is formed from a wire strand bentto form a row of links each comprising legs or shanks land 2 having bent or crimped ends"1",'2 connected by the cross-piece 3. The leg 2 of one link is connected with the leg l'of the next link by a loop a whose diameter is substantially equal to the space between 7 the legs 2 and l of adjacent links when the crimped-ends 2,"1 thereof are brought into juxtaposition. The loops 4: of one course of links closely embrace the crimped sections 2, l" of the next course of links and draw them closely together.' The loops' l .and the crimped-ends 2, l are bent upwardly, away from the general surface of the fabric, as

illustrated in Fig. 3, sothat the links of one course readily 'interla'oe with the links of the succeeding course and the pressure of the loops 4 on the bent ends 1, 2 keeps such ends together but prevents their overlapping. The stiffness of the Wire is so proportioned to the load to be carried by the fabric as to prevent the straightening of the crimped or bent ends 1, 2, which by their contact maintain the legs 1 and 2 in parallel relation substantially throughout their lengths and a distance apart substantially equal to the diameter of the loops 4.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, a fabric so formed may be advantageously utilized in the manufacture of a bed-spring having longitudinal frame members 5 and 6 connected by crosspieces 7 and 8 provided with coiled springs 9 and 10 having hooks or loops. thereon for the engagement of the links of my improved fabric. If desired, the lateral edges of the bed-spring may be reenforced by twisting a supplementary Wire 11 between the strands of the side meshes, and the end of the fabric terminating in free loops 4: may be reenforced by twisting a strand 12 therein.

By my improvements, the pulling and pinching together of the strands of one course by the loops of the adjacent course is avoided and a symmetrical and rugged spring fabric is produced.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A spring fabric having courses of links with legs substantially parallel throughout the greater part of their lengths and ends offset divergently in each link and connected by cross members, the adjacent links being connected'by loops and the offset ends of adjacent links of one course being en aged by loops connecting adjacent links 0 another course.

2. A spring fabric com rising courses of links having legs connecte byloops, the'op posite ends of the legs connected by a loop being bent toward one another a distance sub 'stantially equal to the diameter of said loops so as to maintain said legs substantially parallel when-,saidbent portions engage one another. V

,3. spring fabric comprising'co'urses of links having-substantially parallel legs with div rgently bent ends connected by cross members, the legs of adjacent links vbeing connected by loops having a diameter substantially :equal to the divergence of said bent ends the loops of one course embracing the'bentendsof.thehekteourse so as to maintainl the-legs substantially-parallel throughout the greater .;pol 'tioni of their lengths. 4. A spring iabric comprisingjlinkshaving legs spaced by loops and each link having ends offsetdivergentlygthe loop connecting one ;pair oilegs embracing the offset ends of anothergpair of legs sons to maintain the-legs in substantially parallel relation.

e5. A wire fabric comprising a link having apair o fjshankameans for-maintaining said shanks in parallelrelation comprising curved loopslocatedrin one end of-saidJinkand ends offsetdivergently at the other end ofzsaid link;

In testimony whereof I have hereuntoset mynfl'me this 29th day ofOctober, 1927.

, HORACE S. RHOADS. 

